Day 93, Tuesday Nov. 24
Today is the BIG day!! And boy is there a lot to share.
The morning routine went as usual. Brandi and Julee came to help with the discharge preparations and for moral support. It was bittersweet for both Jeff and Annette.
In OT Alex asked Jeff what he wanted to practice one last time before going home. Jeff's sarcastic response that he needed more practice doing everything made us all laugh.
Julee practiced a few transfers in and out of the wheelchair, with and without the sliding board. Jeff's recliner at home has large arm rests. The sliding board will complicate the transfer from the wheelchair and make it more dangerous. Julee has the advantage of height and long arms to do these transfers. Even though it was more difficult for Annette because she is so petite, she also transferred him successfully without the sliding board!
Then Brandi and Julee also learned how to get Jeff off the floor if he were to fall. Annette, Julee, and the therapist practiced the technique when only 3 people are available. They learned that timing is everything, especially when the helpers are such different heights!
Annette learned how to help Jeff sit up using her own weight to pull him up. This will be handy when Jeff is in bed and doesn't feel well enough to pull himself up. Jeff also liked this because it left them in a perfect position for a "morning make-out session!"
Jeff then instructed Julee on how to perform the stretches to his lower body that he will be needing every day. Jeff did a great job recalling each one. Alex gave tips and pointers as they practiced them.
They then went back to the room where Jeff's suprapubic catheter was replaced for the first time. This is done using sterile technique and will be changed once a month by Annette and Julee.
The original catheter was removed through the hole in Jeff's lower abdomen after the stitches were cut and the internal balloon emptied. The area was cleaned well and then the new catheter inserted into the hole. The balloon was filled to anchor it inside and a syringe was used to check placement by extracting urine. Stitches are no longer required.
It's important that Annette is familiar with this process in case the catheter were to ever be dislodged and pulled out. There's about a 2 hour window to get a new catheter back through the hole before the bladder expands and the hole shifts. If that were to happen Jeff would require surgery to get it back in.
After lunch time it was OT. Josh came in and brought pressure mapping equipment to test Jeff's wheelchair seat. Basically, Jeff sat on a pad that is connected to a computer that shows how much pressure is on Jeff's butt when he's sitting.
The sitting bones in the butt (ischial tuberosities) have the most pressure when you are sitting upright. They showed up as red "hot spots" on the computer screen, surrounded by yellow and then blue where the pressure deceased.
When Jeff did his pressure relieving exercises, leaning to each side and forward, the hot spots disappeared. If nothing else, this really hit home how important it is to remember to do the pressure releases. We also learned that the pad he ordered for his manual wheelchair causes less pressure than the one on his power chair.
The last thing they did was have a discussion about how to meet Jeff's emotional, spiritual, physical, and social needs. Brandi was the scribe. This included discussing what the daily routine will look like.
They talked through what they wanted their routine to look like with morning chores, showers, meals, work, etc. Every time they decided what would come next, like breakfast, Josh would ask them who was going to do what. He encouraged Jeff to do as much as possible on his own, from pouring his own cereal to making his own pb&j for lunch.
Also, time management was discussed to make sure all of Jeff's exercises get done. TV time equals exercise time with the stretchy bands and weights. Stretching can be done first thing in the morning before Jeff gets out of bed because he's already laying down. That kind of thing.
Another thing they discussed was how to help fill the large hole that is left now that Jeff can't do all the physical things he used to do all the time. Some of the things Jeff wants to be able to do with his time are temple work and genealogy.
Then it was time to say goodbye. Jeff did a victory lap around the entire unit while they played a song he chose to celebrate him going home. Staff members and even patients were telling Jeff and Annette bye. There were tears and Annette said, "When you've spent almost three months with these people and get to know a lot of them, it's almost like leaving family."
Jeff and Annette were invited to come back in the future to visit with other patients and tell his story.
The trip out was an adventure in itself because there was so much stuff to take to the truck. It's amazing how much stuff can accumulate in three months!
Annette said she is grateful the snow waited for them to go home so she won't have to drive back and forth in it. Here's a picture of the truck, leaving the hospital for the last time, with the wheelchair on the back.
At home they worked to get a few things put away. Annette organized the drawers by Jeff's side of the bed with his meds and the supplies she needs to do all of his cares. Jeff did some work on the computer.
Blake got off work early to take Jeff's truck to American Fork for the warranty inspection. The timing was bad, but it was the only appointment they had available to get it done. Unfortunately, when Blake arrived no one was there to do the inspection even though they had an appointment set up. So it will have to wait another day.
Blake brought pizza home for a fast and easy dinner after a long and busy day.
Randy and Terren came to work on the wheelchair lift in the garage because it won't work properly. We are grateful for their help!
This is the first night Jeff has spent in his own bed in over three months. It's also the first time he has been able to sleep next to Annette since the accident. She will be able to help him roll over as needed to prevent sores. While he can't sleep straight through the night, we are praying he sleeps better than he has been now that he's home.
Today has been an emotional day and we are so thankful our dad is finally home!
HE'S HOME!!!
The road ahead is still a very long one, but we know our dad will be okay. We are full of gratitude for the firm foundation of knowledge and skills he's been given over the last three months. The therapists he worked with at IMC went above and beyond and we know it has made all the difference.
Our mom and dad have forged so many new friendships, learned so much, and grown so greatly, there is no doubt that this journey is being led by our loving Father in heaven. He has blessed us greatly in this trial. He truly does visit His people in their afflictions.
